"There are still internal issues" - Barcelona sporting director Deco provides Joao Felix and Joao Cancelo transfer update
Barcelona sporting director Deco has confirmed they still need to get their financial issues sorted before signing Joao Felix and Joao Cancelo on a permanent deal. The two players have started their season well after joining on loan for the season.
Speaking to the media, Deco admitted that they were offered the chance to sign the two players on loan. He added that the club want them to stay beyond the season but are yet to make financial arrangements. He was quoted by Marca as saying:
"The opportunity that was presented to us for the Joaos was for loans. There are still internal issues. If things go well, we will want them to stay, but this is only the beginning."
Reports earlier this week suggested that Barcelona were aware they needed over €100 million to sign the duo permanently. Atletico Madrid are expected to demand €80 million for the forward, while Manchester City will ask for €20 million for the full-back.
Joao Felix took wage cut to join Barcelona on loan this summer
Joao Felix has admitted that he took a wage cut to join Barcelona. He wanted a change in scenery to get his career back on track and thought leaving Atletico Madrid was the correct decision.
He told Mundo Deportivo:
"The truth is I gave up a significant amount of money from my salary. But, well, I needed to change. I needed to go to a place where I could practice my football and, as I said, I always believed this would be the ideal place. Things are going well. I had to make that effort to have joy playing again."
Felix added:
"It depends how the season ends. Barcelona are the ones who have to negotiate with Atleti, and it all depends on Atleti, if they want to make things easier or not. But those are business things, numbers which I don't get involved in. I do my job on the field, I try to do my best so that they want to sign me in the end."
Joao Felix has scored three goals in as many matches for the Blaugrana this season. He is now just one goal away from matching his tally at Chelsea, where he moved on a six-month loan last season.